Walk It Out - Book Review

Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer

I am planning on making this into a series of posts about books that I have been reading, reviewing or just books that are in my "to-be-read" pile. I haven't decided if this will be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly yet. Sometimes I write about books in my homeschooling posts too.

 This is my review of the book, Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer and all opinions are my own.

If you ever get the chance to be a part of a book launch team, then I say go for it! This is something that I have been getting to do for awhile now, and I love it!!! This opportunity is great for book people. My favorite part of joining a book launch team is getting to interact with the author. I think that is just the coolest thing. OK, so here is the short and long of it. This is a first for me, but I am so honored to be working on three different book launch teams currently. They are as follows:

1. Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer
2. The Lifegiving Table by Sally Clarkson
3. Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey

Today I want to talk about the first book listed above, Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer. I am just going to say that if you are only familiar with her novels, then Walk It Out which is non-fiction will NOT disappoint you. I am greatly enjoying reading, highlighting, and making notes while going through this book. My heart has broken for the tragic events that have happened in Tricia's life, and my heart has also beamed with happiness for the awe-inspiring events. There is nothing cookie-cutter about this book. She has sprinkled gems of wisdom gleaned from her walk with the Lord. Every time that I read another chapter I am even more inspired to find more or different ways that my family and I can serve others. I come away encouraged to keep finds ways to walk out my faith. I think that it would be so neat to meet her in person, by the way. 

This post would get way too long to share all of my favorite quotes from the book, but I would like to leave you a few. 

1. "I trust and follow Him as He leads me in His perfect will. I've learned that God's good plans are not always easy or neat, but when we step out in obedience we never walk alone."
2. "His purpose for your life is one that will not only fulfill you but will also benefit the world."
3. "It seems to me that God does His best work through ill-fitted yet determined servants who willingly follow His directives."

I also have a treat for you. Tricia asked her launch team members to share the first chapter of her book Walk It Out with everyone. Yay!! Click here for more information. Thank you for sticking around until the end of this post, and I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I have. Blessings!

Announcement for Upcoming Webinar from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Hello Friends! I just wanted to let you know about an upcoming webinar happening this week over at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. If you or someone you know works with children then please check out this webinar featuring Mr. Mark's Classroom. Scroll down to find the link and more information. 

Fresh Ideas to Engage your Children in Learning

Teachers need fresh ideas and practical solutions to engage their children in learning. Let us give you some terrific ideas so your child will enjoy learning and retain information better.  Our goal is to resource teachers so children are engaged and stay on task for the learning experience.  

            First, the teacher must realize the learning style of the child.  Many teachers are most comfortable teaching in their personal learning style but that might not be a match with the child or children being taught.  We will discover ways to identify the learning styles of the child and how we can adapt our methods to best fit and tailor to the learner.  Mr. Mark explains several practical ideas each teacher should work to employ in their classroom time.  Variety will always help make learning fun and exciting but teachers need ideas.  Mr. Mark’s Classroom is constantly buzzing with new resources and helps that assist teachers  with the variety they seek and it’s free.

            Second, the early childhood and early elementary children are most responsive to eight unique actions the teacher can always use.  By knowing how to use sensory, relationships, curiosity, imitation, play, repetition, satisfaction, and hands-on learning in the classroom, the teacher will discover greater engagement and even less behavior issues.  Mr. Mark uses these tried and true methods weekly and has created such fun experiences he will share with our teachers to use immediately.

Check out his website at www.mrmarksclassroom.com and begin seeing the many ideas available to you already.  Join us September 28 from 7pm-8:30pm EST to hear him teach us the wonderful methods that will refresh you in your planning and presenting material to your children.  Mr. Mark offers a free book at his website filled with easy ideas you can download now.  

Mark your calendar and register now for our free webinar with Mr. Mark’s Classroom at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8702069769773313026

Creative and Frugal Homeschooling Tip #2

Creative and Frugal Homeschooling Tips

3 Part Mini Series
(This post contains my affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog and homeschool!)

In the last post, I shared with you about utilizing your public library for a creative and frugal homeschooling tip. Today, I am going to be talking about a tip that is new for our family. Some of you may have heard of the homeschool magazine called The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I have been reading this magazine for many years now. It is filled with informative and interesting articles related to homeschooling and information about homeschool-related products. 

So my second tip is the curriculum site for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Schoolhouse Teachers.com. There will be link below for you to find out more information about Schoolhouse Teachers and about the Autumn sale that is going on until October 31st.

This is our first year to use Schoolhouse Teachers.com. Did you know that there are over 300 classes to chose from for your whole family? And even more classes are being added weekly. Wow, this is going to be a game-changer for our family this year!! I love the fact that I can pick and chose which classes to use with each of my children, and with so many to pick we will not run out of learning ideas. There is also an area for parents that include tools such as a scope & sequence, monthly menus, schedule builders, report card creators, courses, special needs helps, and the World Book Online. This site is truly a one-stop for a family education. We believe in our house that homeschooling is so much more than just teaching our children academics, it is a lifestyle for us.

So now, let's chat about the special that is happening now. From now until October 31st, you can get a Limited Membership for grades PreK-8 for $9.95/month (reg. $14.95/month) using the code CORNCOB or an Unlimited Membership for grades PreK-12 for $10.95/month (reg. $19.95/month) using the code SCARECROW. There are BONUSES as well too:

• two FREE fall-themed PRINT back issues of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine*
• a bushel of digital goodies (see overseas restrictions below)
• And, members automatically qualify to receive FREE ongoing issues of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine in the mail. The next one releases January, 2018.* (see the overseas restrictions below)

Harvest Special at Schoolhouse Teachers.com

*Sorry, physical gifts/magazine free to U.S. addresses only. For information on international shipping, please contact Customer Service. The 2010 & 2011 Fall Print Issues will be given out while supplies last. Due to limited quantities, you may receive a past Fall Print Issue from a different year (not shown). You will still be sent two of our fall-themed back issues filled with wonderful tips and autumn-related content. 

Introducing This Grace Place Book Club

Announcing 

This Grace Place Book Club!!!

I had mentioned earlier this year about starting a book club, and now I would like to cordially invite you, my readers, to join my book club. I enjoy reading and having someone to chat with about the book. Really, there is only so much my dear husband wants to hear about my mom books. 😉


Here are my thoughts about how I will be preceding with this fun idea. I have a good selection of books that I would love to read with a group of like-minded moms. We will meet every other week in a private Facebook group to discuss each chapter until we finish the book.

Sometimes the book will be a Mom book, a book about the CM method, a devotional, a classic, or Christian fiction. This book club will be a place to share what we love about what we are reading, a place to talk about areas that maybe we are struggling in, and a place to enjoy a book with a cuppa of your favorite drink and a few friends.

I hope to see you there. We will be starting our first book, Monday, September 11th. We will be reading Sally and Sarah Clarkson's book,The Lifegiving Home. You can find the Facebook group here:This Grace Place Book Club

If you have any questions or comments, leave them below or send me a message. I hope you will join my book club!

Creative and Frugal Homeschooling Tips #1

Creative and Frugal Homeschooling Tips

3 Part Mini Series

This week I will be sharing three creative and/or frugal homeschooling tips. It's that time of the year again for most -  "Back-to-Homeschool" If you are like me and still planning for the up-coming school year, then maybe one or all of the tips from this week can help you. I hope that you will find these tips to be useful, and I would love to hear how you plan a creative and frugal homeschool year.

So without further ado... 

First Tip

 

Use the resources at your local library. Sounds simple enough, right? That is because it can be if you spend time at your library, browsing the shelves, and asking your librarian questions you have. I spent about 6 years working in my hometown's public library. I had the privilege of helping numerous patrons who visited the library because that was what I was there to do. It was my job to help patrons find the books they were looking for or get set-up with their own library card or do an internet search for a homework assignment.

Sometimes I feel like this is an underused yet valuable resource available for homeschool families. Normally it is free to sign-up for a library and to check out the resources. Some libraries now have an E-book service that allows you to check out a select number of e-books at a time. In addition to books, sometimes you will find audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, magazines, newspapers, a genealogy department, puzzles, blocks, and public computers. Even if the library doesn't currently have a specific book that you are looking for, they may be able to order a copy for you to check out. 

Whether you find yourself in a tight financial place or not, please don't overlook this wonderful resource. With your library card and your child's curiosity, together your family can have a creative and frugal homeschool year.

Tomorrow I'll be back with tip #2. 

The Lifegiving Home - Book Review

Building a Lifegiving Home

I am planning on making this into a series of posts about books that I have been reading, reviewing or just books that are in my "to-be-read" pile. I haven't decided if this will be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly yet. Sometimes I write about books in my homeschooling posts too.

Reading good books is like breathing air for me. There are very few times when I do not have a book with me. Since becoming a mommy to now five munchkins, I have to be intentional about making time to read books that I want to read. This can be hard sometimes when we are in the thick of our homeschool year. Does anyone else binge read over the holidays or is it just me?

Today I am going to share with you about a book that I read awhile back but have picked back up to reread. It is Sally Clarkson's The Lifegiving Home book and study guide. I had the privilege of being apart of her launch team  before this book released back in 2016.  If you follow me on any of my other social medias then you know that I LOVE reading Sally's books. Her books are so inspiring to me on this journey of motherhood. I've even nicknamed her my "mentor mom". I love that she encourages her readers to turn to God and His Word for guidance because when the day is done ultimately God is the only One with the answers.

So let's get back to her book and the wonderful ideas that she shares with her readers. Sally actually co-authored this book with her oldest daughter, Sarah. I love Sarah's writings as well. I have some of her books too. The Lifegiving Home is a great book written to show you how you can bring back an element of beauty that seems to be lost in today's society.  So many times I have read where Sally encourages ladies to bring both beauty and truth into their lives, homes, and that of their families. Home should be the safe haven from this world that ridicules God and His Word. Our homes should be "Lifegiving" and a place of blessing for our families.

The book is broken down into two parts and includes a chapter for each month of the year. Each chapter has information about special times that can be celebrated during a specific month, stories about the Clarksons, questions to ponder, and fun ideas to incorporate or even spur you on to create your own. If you want to dig even deeper, then you will need to get the book, The Lifegiving Home Experience by Sally and Joel Clarkson. The study guide provides further study by showing you how to apply what you have read and planned in the main book. It is filled with even more ideas, questions to ponder, and book recommendations. I love books with lists of books!! If you are new to Sally Clarkson and her books, then I urge you to visit her website and to sign-up for her newsletter. She has some exciting news going on right now. You can find her at Sally Clarkson

Have you read any of Sally's books? If so, I would love to hear from you and how her books have encouraged you! 

Prayers for a New School Year

Prayer is so important in the life of a believer! Prayer is our lifeline to the Lord. I know that I have to pray all of the time because I also know that I can't make it in this life without the help of Jesus. There is always someone or some situation that I am praying for and about to the Lord. 

August is the time when I start praying more intentionally for the beginning for our school year. I ask the Lord for His guiding hand, peace for our days, excitement for the opportunity to learn, and most importantly that we always make Him Lord of our school days. We wouldn't even be on this journey without His leading as well as His provision. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV), we read "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.". (Emphasis mine) We should always be rejoicing, giving thanks, and praying without ceasing.

I want to share three verses with you for this upcoming school year. Write the verses on index cards. Hang the verses somewhere so that you will see them and be reminded to pray daily.

The first verse is about God's PLAN.

Jeremiah 29:11  (NKJV)

" For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

The second verse is about God's PROTECTION.

Psalm 91:1-2 (NKJV)

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

The third verse is about God's PEACE.

Philippians 4:7  (NKJV)

"and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."


Let's spend some time mediating on these verses this coming week and set a goal of starting the day with prayer. I pray that your children will have a great start to their new school years.



Scripture source: Bible Gateway

Summer Fun 2017

Wow! Our summer has flown by this year! It is hard to imagine that it will be time to start a new school year soon. My children are actually asking to start school, which we will start (hopefully) in about three more weeks.  How has your summer been? Are you (or your children) ready for "Back-to-School"?


We have participated in summer reading programs, played card and board games as a family, the children loved making mud puddles with the water hose in the backyard, they spent time with the grandparents, and they played at a near-by creek. Summer memories have been made! 


If I were to ask my children to name their favorite thing we did this summer, it would probably be the Summer Reading Program for our local library with some homeschooling friends. A sweet homeschool mama headed up this great program. They had a goal of reading 400 minutes over a 5 week period and were able to collect pledge money for meeting this goal. Afterwards, they each got to pick out a book from Usborne as a reward. Usborne also let the children pick out a book valued at half of their pledge amount collected to be donated to our local library. I love having opportunities for my children to help their community as well as our local library. 

Summer is also my time to plan for our upcoming school year, review what did or did not work for us last school year, and to continue my teacher training. I read a lot of books and online articles concerning how to teach children, child development, and educational methods. Over the past year, we have been dipping our toes in the Charlotte Mason philosophy. A good many of my books in my reading pile reflect this as well. Here is a list of what I have been reading here and there over this summer:

1. Different by Sally and Nathan Clarkson (rereading)
2. A Different Kind of Hero by Sally and Joel Clarkson (rereading)
3. Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon
4. Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison (rereading)
5. More Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison (rereading)
6. Give Your Child the World by Jamie C. Martin
7. Beyond Survival by Diana Waring
8. Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes
9. Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola

My summer reading!

In other news, I wrote my first magazine article this summer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine! I am still tickled pink that I had this opportunity. I've been reading the TOS magazine since we first decided that we were going to homeschool. You can read the current issue online at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

My copy of the Summer 2017 issue.

How Can it Be MAY Already?

Hi Friends!!! We are getting ready to wind down yet another school year here. Even though we homeschool year round, I do like to take some time off in the summer. This year has been crazy-busy and crazy-fast. Can you believe that it is already May? I feel like before I know it my oldest will be turning 1 year old, and then it will be Christmas next.

So I have been thinking, praying, and planning for the direction of my little space here, and I am planning on starting an online book reading club later this year. There will still be posts about our homeschool journey, curriculum reviews, and just fun stuff.

This school year has been another one full of learning as well as life happenings. We added our fifth sweet baby back in September, enjoyed a long Christmas break, endured really bad reoccurring colds during the winter funk, and soon will be watching my older daughter in her dance recital. My kids have grown physically. mentality, and spiritually this past year-especially my oldest three kids.

I have been challenged and stretched beyond what I could do, and really it is only because of Jesus that I have made it this far. This motherhood and homeschooling journey can be hard some days. I like to remind myself of the following verse when I am at the point of "I-can't-take-another-step": "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31 And then I like to enjoy some dark chocolate once the little ones are asleep. So how has your homeschool year been?

https://pixabay.com/en/adler-bald-eagle-flight-bird-1580368/

A Sweet Reminder

We have been having wonderful spring weather this week-which is a huge blessing in the South. Along with the wonderful weather, various plants have started  blooming around our house. Since a young age, my daughter has loved to pick the "wildflowers" that seem to pop-up in our yard.

I was listening to another mom read poems about dandelions online earlier the week and talking about how her daughters love to pick them for her. So this led me to look up children's poems about dandelions, and I came across the one posted below.

In this short, sweet poem I am reminded of how my own daughter shows her love to me by bringing me "wildflowers" that she has picked. And how short the season of childhood really can be. 😢

The Dandelion Vase

                  

This vase may be quite tiny,
but its importance is monumental and grand!
For the love that went into each picked 'flower,'
was carefully chosen by your child's small hand.

How important these pesky 'flowers' become'
and how great they will make your day,
when your child comes running across your lawn'
'I picked these just for you,' they'll say!

No other flower can show your child's love,
than that of the dandelion in bloom!
For sometimes in the thicket of weeds,
God's love is revealed to you!

So each time you use this vase,
remember how great the reason!
For nothing can compare to the love of a child,
when the dandelions are in season!

© Jennifer L. Holte

Published on February 2006

Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/the-dandelion-vase

Learning Character Resources Review 2016-2017

Now for the next review post for our curriculum that we have used for the 2015-2016 school year. I have written a post in the past about the two different character resources that we were using together. After awhile we went back to our original program that we have been using since the first year of homeschooling back in 2011. There is nothing right or "less than" with the other program. I think that we were just use to the lay out of the first character program.

So the first program that we have been using for awhile now is from the company "The Learning Parent" by the Rick and Marilyn Boyer. I think they may have changed the name to "Character Concepts" now, but when we first used their materials it was called "The Learning Parent". We just love the ease of the program, and the fact that it can be used with a range of ages. By range of ages I mean that the preschool and early learner books would be usable for ages 3-9 years of age. I love products that I can cycle back through with my children. I don't expect them to remember every character trait learned. By going back and reviewing previous learned character traits it is helping to reinforce it each time. It is my hope that they will internalize each character trait as they get older. There are other programs available from the same company to use as your child gets older, but for us it works better if we are all in the same book.

We normally learn a new character trait or review one as apart of our morning time after we have read our Bible passage. In the book with the character traits there are Bible stories and verses, stories revolving around the Boyer cousins, and true stories about people from history who have displayed a particular character trait. There are also coloring pages that your child can color while listening to one of the stories. This really is a easy and fun program to implement. We will be cycling through both books again for the up-coming school year.


Again for the record all opinions are my own. I am not a paid representative for "The Learning Parent" or "Character Concepts" or the Boyers. I just love talking about homeschooling, curriculum, methods and styles. I would love to hear what your family uses for character training.

You can check out the materials by visiting "Character Concepts": http://www.characterconcepts.com/store/

This should take you to the Preschool Character Package: http://characterconcepts.com/store/product.php?id_product=1572

This should take you to the Early Learner Package:

http://characterconcepts.com/store/product.php?id_product=3260

Dollar Tree Educational Materials 2015-2016 Review

In today's post I will be talking about the different educational products from the Dollar Tree. Actually we have been using Dollar Tree workbooks since we started homeschooling back in 2011. The preschool and kindergarten level workbooks are a great and inexpensive way to introduce basic learning to your children.


The most recent books that we used were on a 1st and 2nd grade level to help supplement my daughter's spelling, phonics, and handwriting. The pages were colorful, and the activities didn't take her long to complete. Normally I would only assign about 1-2 pages per week from each book. If her other subjects had a lot of writing then we might skip a week here and there. These workbooks were easy to use, and once she learned what was expected from each type of exercise she was pretty independent in getting her work done. (which was a big win for me so that I could have more focused attention with my boys) My daughter and I both loved these types of workbooks, but I'm not sure if we will be able to find any for her level this fall.


Since 2011, we have used not only the workbooks but have also stocked up on items from the teacher section and school supplies. We have a blow-up globe that is wonderful to use when we want to look up a location from our studies. All of my kids love picking out pencils, stickers, and notebooks that they get to use during the year. Honestly, the Dollar Tree is one of our top spots to buy items we need to stock up for the school year.

Explode the Code 2015-2016 Review

Today I want to talk about the Explode the Code Book series by Nancy M. Hall. We have used at least one of the books in the series for the past two years. All together we have used Books A,B,C, 3 and 4 for two of my children. These were not the only books we used for our language arts, but they were definitely favorites for my children. I felt like the books were a great fit for us because each one was on target for the individual learner.


Let's start with the beginning books. I used these with my Kindergartner/1st grader. He completed all three books over the course of 1 1/2 school years. He loved these books which is a plus in my book! The book order is "Get Ready for the Code, Book A", "Get Set for the Code, Book B", and "Go for the Code, Book C". All three of the books cover the consonant letters and sounds, but there is a certain set of letters covered in each book. These were a great way to introduce my son to the consonant letters. The books could be used as a stand-alone program or in conjunction with another beginning reading program. There are letter and picture cards that can be purchased separately as well as a wall chart to display the cards, but we didn't use that part of the program. There are about 6-8 pages of activities for each letter. The pictures are simple black-line drawings that are appealing for young kids, and the activities are simple but engaging. I did purchase the Teacher's Guide to go-along with the Student Books. The Teacher's Guide is necessary for some of the activities because you will need to read a description of a picture for your child to identify. The Teacher's Guide also offers different teaching ideas, hints, literature links and introduces sight words. Once your child completes these books then it is on to "Explode the Code, Book 1". My son has requested to continue using this series, and I am happy to oblige.


The other books that we used were "Explode the Code, Books 3&4" with my 2nd grader. She completed these two books in about 2 school years. We slowed down when she needed extra practice which helped to stretch out the books as well. In Book 3 the focus is on long vowels. In Book 4 the focus is on compound words, common word endings (such as -ful, -ing, -est, -ed, -ness), and syllables (such as open, closed, silent -e and digraph). The pictures are still the same black-line drawings in the A,B, and C books. The activities are more advanced than the books that my son used, but I felt like the books were still a good fit for her level. There is a consist amount of writing with these books. According to the product description on Christian Book Distributor Books 3 &4 are geared for children in grades 1st-3rd. I also purchased the Teacher's Guide for these books. The guides are grouped for two books at a time. So the first Teacher's Guide is for Books 1&2, the second Teacher's Guide is for Books 3&4, and so on. There are also half step books between each level for extra practice. We haven't used any of these books yet. I normally google ideas or hit up Pinterest for activities to help if my children are struggling to understand a concept. My daughter enjoyed these books for the most part, but I am not sure if we will continue with this series for next year yet.



For the record all opinions are my own. I am not a paid representative for Explode the Code. I just love talking about homeschooling, curriculum, methods and styles. I would love to hear which language arts curriculum that you use and why. Also if you have used the "Learning Language Arts Through Literature" for the elementary grades I would love to hear about your experience. Thanks a bunch, and have a blessed week!

Math-U-See 2015-2016 Review

So for the next several blog posts I am planning on giving more details about what we used for our school year, what worked for us, and what didn't work for us. I know that I love to read other people's curriculum reviews. It has helped me to get a bird's eye view as well as helped me to decide if I really want to invest in that particular curriculum or not. I don't know about you, but around here there is more time than extra money to invest in expensive curriculum.

Math-U-See is a mastery-based, hands-on math curriculum that begins with Primer Level and continues into high school math. The complete set includes a Teacher's Manual, a Teaching DVD, Student Text, and Student Test Booklet except for the Primer Level. You can also purchase the integer block set, fraction overlays, and a CD with songs to help reinforce basic math memorization such as skip counting.

For this past school year we have been working through the Primer and Alpha Levels. I was able to get an older integer block set from my mom from when my younger brother used Math-U-See which worked for us. I did purchase the complete sets for the Primer and Alpha Levels. Some reviews that I read said that the Teacher's Manual and Teaching DVD were not necessary if you were comfortable teaching math. But I have to say that I am glad that I did because there are example problems, extra teaching hints, a basic script that tells you how to explain a math concept, and the teaching DVDs are great. The creator of Math-U-See is the teacher on the DVDs, and he makes math fun for the students. My kids love watching Mr. Demme.

Overall I love Math-U-See because it is mastery-based, includes hands-on learning, and there is online support if I need it. I think that it has been a good fit for both of my kids, even for my non-math kid who had rather not have to learn math. The manipulative blocks are great for visual and kinesthetic learners. As of today I am planning on continuing with Math-U-See in the fall. I will have three kids in a more structured math time then, and we would be using Primer, Alpha, and Beta Levels. For the summer I am planning on making sure that my kids review what they have learned in a more relaxed fashion, aka math games. This is where Pinterest will be my best friend...lol. The main thing that I want them to do is commit to memory their addition and subtraction fact families. Math is a building block subject, and before we can continue they will need to have that mastered.

For the record all opinions are my own. I am not a paid representative for Math-U-See. I just love talking about homeschooling, curriculum, methods and styles. I would love to hear which math curriculum that you use and why.

Our 2015 - 2016 School Year in Review

It is that time of the year for us. We have recently wrapped up our 2015 - 2016 school year. Boy, am I tired! This year was the first time that I was actively homeschooling three of my four children. So for grade levels (even though we do not strictly follow them) I had a 2nd grader, K/1st grader, and a Pre-K5; but like I said we do not follow within the guidelines of what is typically learned for each grade. I have witnessed the spark of learning in my children if I don't rush them or hold them back. One of the beauties of the homeschool lifestyle!

Here is a breakdown of the curriculum that we used:
~  Math-U-See
~  Explode the Code (Books A-C & 3-4)
~  Additional Spelling Workbooks from the Dollar Tree
~  Character Trails (from The Learning Parent)
~  All About Reading (Pre-Reading Level)
~  Heart of Dakota (Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory)
~  BOB Books
~  Before Five in a Row (we only did a few books this year)
~  Variety of Read-Aloud Books

I am planning on writing a brief review for each of the items listed above in separate posts over the coming month. I am hoping that by having an idea or plan in place that I will be able to post more. I love homeschooling and think that I could talk about it all day long. I'm off to enjoy our much needed summer break! I would love to hear from you so leave a comment below about how your school year went or didn't go as planned!

Here's a Mini Update For Our School Year

We are currently on our fifth week in the new school year. This year is keeping me jumping with three children and an on-the-move baby. Things can get interesting real quick. It is becoming a lesson for me and the children to be more flexible and not to expect everything to be perfect. There's that word again - perfect. When it comes to my children I set the bar high in my ideals of how I envisioned our homeschooling journey to be. I tend to be an overwhelmed perfectionist, meaning that sometimes I will give up or give in because no matter how much I try it still will not be perfect. Everyday I have to ask God for the wisdom to teach my children and His love to pour out of me onto them. Homeschooling for us is more than just academic. It is just as much if not more about showing and introducing my children to my Savior.

Our character trait that we are currently working on is DILIGENCE. The definitions that we are using comes from two homeschooling moms. The first one is from Marilyn Boyer at The Learning Parent, and the second one is from Heather McMillan at We Choose Virtues. We have been using the Character Studies from The Learning Parent since the first year that we started homeschooling. I absolutely love her character trait curriculum. The other one from We Choose Virtues is new to us this year. I actually won a set of her character trait cards in a contest hosted by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. So now for the definitions.... The first one defines diligence as "doing my very best at very task given to me". The second one defines being diligent as "I start fast, work hard and finish strong". Each one also has a memory verse to help your child to learn. We have focused on the character trait of OBEDIENCE for awhile and from time to time review it. 

If you would like to learn more about either of the above mentioned companies, then I have included links for you.
The Learning Parent - Marilyn Boyer
http://www.characterconcepts.com/store/
Ok. So apparently they have changed their name to Character Concepts. The reference made to their character curriculum can be found in their store. It should be apart of their Preschool Package.

We Choose Virtues - Heather McMillan
http://wechoosevirtues.com/

And of course here is the link to one of my favorite homeschooling magazines. You can also read the current issue for FREE.
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
http://www.theoldschoolhouse.com/

Here is a picture from our first day of school.

Just FYI, I am not being compensated from either of the above companies. I am just sharing what we are learning. However, I love talking to other homeschool moms about what they are using in their homeschools. Have a blessed week!

It's Almost That Wonderful Time of the Year!

One of my favorite times of the year is "Back to School". Fall is definitely my favorite season of the year!!! But I am also in love with the cooler weather, the changing color of the leaves, the game of football, and of course school supplies! I still get excited to buy school supplies even if it is for my children. There is a wonderful feeling of getting to start over and the challenges of getting to learn new things that excite me.

So we are in count down mode for our first day back to school. This year I will have a 2nd grader, 1st grader/finishing up some Kindergarten work, a Pre-K5, and a 14 month-old baby. This is going to be an interesting year because the older children are getting older and having a baby in the mix. I will be praying for extra patience and wisdom to know how we need to schedule our school times and "mommy and me" times. I love all my children, and I want them to know that I love each of them individually. My biggest goal or area of growth that I would like to see is that the children and I memorize several scriptures from the Bible. It is my prayer that the children desire a relationship with Jesus and become a follower of Him.

I need to get started with some more lesson plans and finish organizing the children's binders. Oh my! So much to do and so little time!!!

Are You Considering Homeschooling?

I remember when I decided that one day I was going to homeschool my child(ren). I wasn't even married or had any children of my own, but I remember what impressed me so much that I started praying about it.

 As a teenager I worked in the children's department of my local library. I loved working there. When I was in high school I would get to work around 1:30 to 2:00 in the afternoon. Because I was there before 3:00 pm, I had the privilege of getting to know some of the homeschooling families in my area. I was intrigued by the family dynamics and the strong family ties, even amongst the children. The moms and older children would collect the books for the topics being studied while the smaller children played together with the puzzles and blocks available. I just remember being so impressed with what I saw every time one of the families would visit the library. They were planting seeds of homeschooling in my life without ever knowing it. I actually ended up homeschooling my last two years of high school and loved it.

Once I started college I was torn between a few different majors. I couldn't decide if I wanted to be a librarian, a teacher or a profession in the medical field. First I went to a local two-year college while continuing to work at the library and continuing to be around those wonderful homeschooling families. After those two years I transferred to a four year college to finish my studies. Eventually I decided to pursue a teaching degree because I thought that was what I needed to be a successful homeschool mama one day and because I liked knowing that teachers had the summer off. : )

Fast forward few years. I was now married, expecting my first child, just graduated from college with a Bachelors of Science in Childhood Education, moving from one city to another, and starting my first teaching job. I was stressed and excited all at the same time with all the new beginnings my husband and I were embarking on together. And still all I could think about was all the grand learning adventures I was going to have with my soon to be born baby, a.k.a "homeschooling".

After my first sweet baby was born I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was going to homeschool her. It was such a strong desire that it became my conviction. But looking back I think that part of it was because I was scared to let anyone else influence her or raise her. I wanted more than anything to be the one to teach her everything about God, the Bible and the world that He created. I started pouring over homeschool curriculum catalogs because I was fascinated by the choices available "to give your child the very best start". I lived, dreamed and breathed homeschooling. Scary, right? Yup!!! If I could go back in time to have a heart-to-heart conversation with my 23 year old self, I would tell myself to let it go and give it to God. I was so wrapped up in planning and finding all these cute ideas that I let some of the most precious time with my baby slip through my hands. I love planning things and finding ways to organize my planning, but I have had to learn (and still learning) to just enjoy my children and having the privilege to getting to know each of them.

So here is a list that I would have given myself if I could have that conversation:

    1. Pray!!! Surrender your desires and ideas about homeschooling to God. Let Him lead and guide you on the path that He has planned for you and your family. Pray with your spouse too!!
    2. Find a mentor homeschool mom. Just like my time around other homeschooling families at the library, spending time with a homeschooling mom is giving you an opportunity to see it in "real-life".
    3. Read a few books about starting homeschooling. Your local library should have a wealth of information about homeschooling and things to consider.
    4. Include your spouse. Do NOT however bombard him or her with everything that you are learning about homeschooling. Have open discussions. Listen to each other's concerns and then pray some more. This also includes looking at your financial situation.
    5. Enjoy each moment with your child(ren). Make memories. Go places. Do things. Take plenty of pictures. Read books and more books and more books.
    6. Having a degree is education is NOT necessary to be a successful homeschool parent. God equips those He calls.

Deciding on the best educational approach for your family is a very personal choice. Homeschooling is the path that God is leading my family on currently. I officially started homeschooling my oldest child when she was a little older than 3 years old and now homeschooling three of my children. Do I worry if I'm doing everything perfectly? Some days but I have learned to trust God on this journey. If you are considering homeschooling and would like to chat about it just leave me a comment.

Busy As Bees

When I was younger I could not wait until I was grown up and could do my own thing. I had all these big dreams and high ideals. I was going to travel all over the world, discover new things and learn all that I could. I am all grown up (well at least I think I am) and I do my own thing. I still have big dreams, and I am working on some of them now. I still have high ideals of what I would like to see happen, but I am also learning to accept that sometimes life just doesn't happen the way I had planned. I am learning that sometimes I have to just roll with the punches so to speak. I take one step at a time, one day at a time, and sometimes just one minute at a time.

Slowly, slowly we are making progress on our house. I will be so glad to just have it to the point to move in. It has been difficult to live in one house and have most of our stuff in the other house. If we could just stop finding leaks that would be great! It has been a long adventure that I will be glad to see finished! I need some peace and a place to call my own.

Schooling has been different, again, this year for us. We alternate working on a different subject each week. Sometimes we are all about math, all day, every day for a week. I am still learning how to organize my time so that I can offer individualized teaching to my two children who are on different levels for math and phonics instruction. It has been a learning curve for me to see just how different my children are when it comes to learning styles and preferences. What worked in the classroom of 15 students does not work at home with my two who are currently the only ones old enough to "do school". I have just started reading one of Diana Waring's book on homeschooling. I am excited to see what gems of wisdom I can learn from her.

And then spring has brought more than green grass, flowers blooming and birds singing. It has brought allergies and yucky colds. My little ones have been sick for at least a week and a half. I have been up most nights, and then had to turn around and be up early the next with either a sick kid or a teething baby. I am busy, but I am right where I need to be. I use to think that if I wasn't doing great and big things then I wasn't living my life to the fullest. I am living my life to the fullest! I am taking care of my family, homeschooling, working part-time, working on my house, cooking, cleaning, and the list keeps going on. Is this what I dreamed life would be like when I grew up? No. But it is what it is. I can't and don't want to waste my time on the what-ifs, could-have-been or any other distraction from what is before me. I want to run the race set before me! I am living my life everyday so that God gets the glory and recognition because without Him this life is not worth living.

So how have things been your way? I hope wonderful. I hope you find the good and the beautiful that this life has to offer and hold on to it. Hold on to Jesus. He is my hope and my anchor.

Hebrews 6:19a "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."



Spring Time And Other Happenings

Well we have been so busy lately. Spring has arrived. The flowers and trees have bloomed in all their glory. The sun is shinning a lot more. (Praise the Lord!) And living in the South means more rain. There are some days were it doesn't bother me, but if you have children you know that a week with rain can make things tense with all the bound-up energy. (Can I get an Amen?)

This is an up-date of where I have been which is why I have not been here. (sad face) We are slowly, very slowly, still working on our little place called "Home Sweet Home". The saying that home projects take longer than expected and cost more than expected really does not do justice until you have lived it. My hubby and I have since learned that we would NOT make good carpenters or construction workers or plumbers (at least not me). Now painting interior, I can do that and actually don't mind. It is just the other stuff. The stuff that is needed to actually live in a house. I just have to keep trusting God that we will be able to get it done soon. It has been tough to say the least, especially with little children and two of whom I am homeschooling.

 I am trying to view this as a lesson that I can teach them such as patience, determination and perseverance. I hope and pray that one day my children will have good work ethics and remember to whom they are actually working for. Life is a lot like working on my house. Everyday I am working on my relationship with God and my family. I don't do everything right, but I know how to find out if I am and make it right. My Bible is my "blueprint" for how I should be living everyday so that I can bring Him glory and so that I can point my children to the Savior. It is my hope and prayer that I live a life that engages my children to want to be a Christian. I remember one of the first times that I heard a seasoned, well-know homeschool mom say that homeschooling won't save your children. I sat in shock with my mouth open until I let the words sink in. The Holy Spirit draws man unto Himself, not the task of educating my children at home. Yeah! It was a kick in the gut, but it was a good thing. I don't view the very task of teaching the ABC's higher than building a relationship with my children. Even as a homeschool mama I had to have my priorities in order and let Him lead our homeschool. If He is not in the middle of what I am doing then I am laboring in vain. I don't want to do that. I want my life to count for something. I want to be used of God even in the little everyday things, especially when it comes to my children.

This is just an example of when I ask God to do that very thing, and He directs to path of my post. I believe in a living God that wants a personal relationship with me and you. We just have to be willing to yield to His voice, plan and purpose of our lives.

And in closing I want to says, "Thanks!" to my loyal readers. Please forgive me for being absent. I will try to do better about posting more regularly. I have so much that I want to share and so little time. I will be squeezing in every available minute to be writing more.